Houston Metro celebrates six-mile mark on LRT extension

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Houston, Texas, has completed six miles on the light-rail transit extension. Six miles equals about 64,000 linear feet of track in the ground, leaving nine miles to go.

Ten light-rail stations are now under construction, with schedules reflecting a 2014 opening date for passenger service. There will be 15 new miles of light rail and 24 additional stations when the lines are completed.

Of the businesses now working on 554 contracts for the light-rail project, 274 are small or disadvantaged and more than 90 percent of them are local. $179 million of the $298 million committed to the SBE/DBE program has already been paid out. That commitment exceeds original contract goals.